Get your bets in for the All Black Squad for the june tests

[welshglory]

Vito is a class blindside. Kaino is a monster but I think any team in the world (including the ABs) would be happy to start him at 6.

Hmmm. I don't think Ireland, Wales, France and South Africa would agree. I feel he's overrated because of his 7's exploits.

 

[nickdnz]

Hmmm. I don't think Ireland, Wales, France and South Africa would agree. I feel he's overrated because of his 7's exploits.

No one really takes that into account at all (I think it's more obserd trivia you happen to know). He's rated because he's a player with a huge work rate and powerful ball carrying. In any game where the Hurricanes are playing poorly, he'll be the player whos working like a beast to get the forward pack on the front foot. I'm happy with him in the All Blacks over Ferris, Lydiate, Dusautoir or Burger and I rate them all very highly, each a very different kind of player. I guess we'll see come the Ireland tests.

 

[sonnench]

No one really takes that into account at all (I think it's more obserd trivia you happen to know). He's rated because he's a player with a huge work rate and powerful ball carrying. In any game where the Hurricanes are playing poorly, he'll be the player whos working like a beast to get the forward pack on the front foot. I'm happy with him in the All Blacks over Ferris, Lydiate, Dusautoir or Burger and I rate them all very highly, each a very different kind of player. I guess we'll see come the Ireland tests.

Come on, be serious.

 

[nickdnz]

Come on, be serious.

Stellar contribution as always.

 

[sonnench]

Stellar contribution as always.

What can I say, your arrogance leaves me speechless.

 

[nickdnz]

What can I say, your arrogance leaves me speechless.

Clearly not speechless enough. However since you insist on making banal remarks, point out where in my post I have come off as arrogant? Is it the part where my view differs from yours? Sometimes when I'm speechless, I keep the thoughts in my head, that way I avoid looking like a complete prat.

 

[Peat]

I would be happy to play Vito, if I was the manager of a lot of those teams mentioned, but he wouldn't be my first choice for most of them.

 

[nickdnz]

I would be happy to play Vito, if I was the manager of a lot of those teams mentioned, but he wouldn't be my first choice for most of them.

Sure, fair enough. I think this season he's ganna impress quite a lot of people. As I said, I rate of the starting players for those teams, very highly.

 

[peanuts40]

Vito is a good player, a lot like Messam but more physical. Don't agree with him being rated higher than Dusatoir or Burger, but still a good player.

 

[nickdnz]

Vito is a good player, a lot like Messam but more physical. Don't agree with him being rated higher than Dusatoir or Burger, but still a good player.

Yeah, my original post was

No one really takes that into account at all (I think it's more obserd trivia you happen to know). He's rated because he's a player with a huge work rate and powerful ball carrying. In any game where the Hurricanes are playing poorly, he'll be the player whos working like a beast to get the forward pack on the front foot. I'm happy with him in the All Blacks over Ferris, Lydiate, Dusautoir or Burger and I rate them all very highly, each a very different kind of player. I guess we'll see come the Ireland tests.

Part of that has to do with potential and age. He's only just turned 25 and I think he's starting to come into his own. Only Dan Lydiate is younger. Of the players mentioned, I probably rate Burger and Lydiate the highest of the 6's.

Also, as much as I like Vito, I think he's generally a better 8 than a 6. At 6 he doesn't get the space to run off the scrum or as much involvment in open play which I think are too of his biggest strengths. Annoying Kieran Read is one of the best 8's in the world, so Vito will just have to make do at 6 (where I still think he can become a very high quality player).

 

[welshglory]

Yeah, my original post was



Part of that has to do with potential and age. He's only just turned 25 and I think he's starting to come into his own. Only Dan Lydiate is younger. Of the players mentioned, I probably rate Burger and Lydiate the highest of the 6's.

Also, as much as I like Vito, I think he's generally a better 8 than a 6. At 6 he doesn't get the space to run off the scrum or as much involvment in open play which I think are too of his biggest strengths. Annoying Kieran Read is one of the best 8's in the world, so Vito will just have to make do at 6 (where I still think he can become a very high quality player).

I'm not sure if he's good/big enough in defence for the AB's though. You've traditionally had gnarly hitters who do the cleaning up there.

 

[bobbilycious]

Owen Franks and Kieran Read are more than capable of putting in big hits. Perhaps it would be good if they could step it up a bit, though, and really make the opposition afraid of hitting it up.

I think Owen Franks could hit a bit lower, though. His hits aren't high but they get quite close... he would also send the opposition flying backwards a bit more if he had a lower position.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Vito is a good player, a lot like Messam but more physical. Don't agree with him being rated higher than Dusatoir or Burger, but still a good player.

Whaaaa?

 

[Dizzy]

Clearly not speechless enough. However since you insist on making banal remarks, point out where in my post I have come off as arrogant? Is it the part where my view differs from yours? Sometimes when I'm speechless, I keep the thoughts in my head, that way I avoid looking like a complete prat.

Isn't it funny how everytime someone speaks out against an All Black he ends up putting them in their place!. Come the end of the Ireland series, Vito would silence em all

 

[big ginger 8]

This is a bit over the top IMO. Vito is a pretty good player but in no particular order at the moment he's behind

Ferris
Lydiate
Burger
Kaino
Dusautoir (though I'm not really sure wheter to count him as a 6)
Croft
O'Brien

definitely others are a lot more debateable. He'll do everyrthing asked of him but he won't tear **** up.

Just to say Ferris is the best blindside currently fit in the world.; and he's not even fully fit.



I was also thinking it was a given that Retallick would start.

 

[Dizzy]

This is a bit over the top IMO. Vito is a pretty good player but in no particular order at the moment he's behind

Ferris
Lydiate
Burger
Kaino
Dusautoir (though I'm not really sure wheter to count him as a 6)
Croft
O'Brien

definitely others are a lot more debateable. He'll do everyrthing asked of him but he won't tear **** up.

Just to say Ferris is the best blindside currently fit in the world.; and he's not even fully fit.



I was also thinking it was a given that Retallick would start.

To each his own, but I have to disagree only because I rate Vito.

 

[bobbilycious]

I would take all of those blindsides (except Croft) over Vito, currently. But that is only really because he hasn't played blindside in a long, long time. I think he got 1 min there last year in the semi final and that was it. I imagine it might take him a little while to really start performing but I would expect him to be good once he.

 

[big ginger 8]

To each his own, but I have to disagree only because I rate Vito.

I'm not saying I don't rate him I do just not as much. All those players have been world class at some period and apart from Croft always seem to maintain a very high standard. Vito as of yet hasn't been world class. You can't really say a player is of a standard because of his apparent potential because as we all know potential isn't always fulfilled. I'm sure at some stage he will be but at the moment he isn't there yet and IMO is behind those players at the moment. Of course it is all subject to change. It's not exactly slander on him to say he's behind those players either as there really is some incredibly talented blindsides in world rugby at the moment.

 

[big ginger 8]

Kaino was pretty immense at the World Cup though

Quite true but he doesn't fit the criteria of currently fit. Him vs Ferris would be worth the entry fee alone. I probably would rate Ferris a whisker ahead of Kaino but that's just me I'm sure many would have Kaino ahead of him but Ferris is definitely better at playing on one leg. If he's ever fully fit I'd hate to have to face him.

 

[Larksea]

I don't know about comparing Kaino against other 6's around the world but over the last couple of years Kaino has often been the best All Black in the team and was arguably NZ's best player last year overall though he didn't have a fantastic RWC final. Being one of the best players week to week in the best team in the world says something. He's going to be missed.

Vito has great potential but he hasn't looked settled at test level yet. He was mind blowing in the ITM cup last year and forced his way into the AB's and hardly fired a shot when he got his chance covering for injured Kieran Read.

The frustrating thing for me is that out of Vito, Thomson and Messam. Thomson has been the one to get the most chances and i think the other two deserved those chances more. It takes time to settle to test rugby, if they all only get to play bit roles in the side them maybe none of them will settle. Now Thomson will prob be first in line to step up for Kaino and he's the oldest and least physical of the three.